Turbine facts

Each turbine would be 130 metres high.

Each turbine would generate 2.5megawatts – between them they would power around 2,400 homes.

The turbines would save the 4,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

The company promoting the bid has now said two turbines should be built – one on borough council-owned land at Thorington Hall and the other on privately-owned land on the other side of rail line at Pannington Hall Farm.

Partnerships for Renewables (PfR) has published a new newsletter that it is distributing to local residents outlining its proposals for the site.

It now expects to submit a planning application for the two turbines to Babergh Council in the spring.

If the application is successful it would expect a two-turbine site to be up an running within about 15 months – by which time the turbines would be generating electricity into the National Grid.

PfR says if the turbines are developed, it will contribute £12,500 a year to local communities over their lifetime – expected to be about 25 years.

However the move has not eased the fears of a growing number of protesters who are concerned by the impact of two huge turbines on the local environment.

The main concerns are the noise that would come from the turbines and the flicker effect they could have on properties in a wide area.

Some people are also concerned about their appearance, feeling that huge turbines are out of place in the countryside near the town.

Jenny Mills is one of the leaders of the pressure group Stop Ipswich Turbines.

She said: “One of the key issues we have is that PfR are happy to talk to us, but it doesn’t seem to achieve much for us.

“What is worrying is that the planning rules still seem to have a presumption in favour of wind turbines – if the noise they make is within the limits set by the government there is an assumption that they should be approved.”

There have been arguments that the noise of the turbines would not be as great as that from the nearby A14.

However Mrs Mills said it was the time and regularity of the noise that was the main concern: “People might not notice the noise from them during the day, when they are mowing the lawn or hearing other background noise.

“But if the noise of the turbines continues all through the night it could be a serious disturbance for people living nearby.”

Currently trending

The siting of the turbines still leaves a huge area of risk from the turbines siting plan.
2 km is eqUal to the whole of Pinewood up to tescos, some of Sprites ward, Stoke park and even Wherstead could be affected